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Crocheting in the Dark

Last night, as tornadic thunderstorms passed through the area, the power flickered and then cut out fully in our neighborhood. Within 15 minutes there was a glow of candles and flashlights, as my daughter and I "hunkered down" in the family room for power-free fun.

I pulled down my MAM afghan I am working on, a project I was sure would be easy to work on, since I generally carry one strip-in-progress around to work on while waiting or whatnot, and the simple stitches are easy to crochet with minimal glancing down.

Let me just say that one of the things I like about crochet is the tie to generations of women (and some truly crafty men!) that have come before me. I can sometimes get caught up in the romanticism of lacy handkerchiefs, formal teas, and handicrafts in abundance. But one little throwback to "pioneer life" makes me a big baby!

Crocheting afghans by the flicker of candlelight while my daughter plays on the floor and the "wireless" (radio) plays softly in the background - it sure sounds homey. In reality, I found that it was ridiculously tiring and straining on the eyes (as little as I thought I was looking!).

Technology has given us great advances. The electric light, for one. Bugspray for another (but that doesn't factor into this story). Yarn that is pre-sheered, -spun, and -dyed, freeing up lots of time for simply crocheting. Sometimes it takes one being taken away - even for just 6 hours! - to make you notice all of the other advances that makes your craft of choice accessible and fun!

And yet I have found myself crocheting in the dark more than once. My very first afghan was largely done during the movie Castaway (I saw it at the theater more than once). I find it hard to put down the hook when we're driving home from a trip and it is getting dark.

I know denizens of C'ville come in all varying abilities, and even varying levels of vision. How many of you can crochet in the dark, or are there certain things that you find easier to crochet in low-light than others?

How many other of you crafters do the same thing? Do you crochet long after the light has left the sky (or by the map light) on car trips? Do you drag a hook and skein into the movie theater? Do you sneakily stitch in bed after the lights go out?